'What he said was wrong' - Rangers hero goes after Brendan Rodgers after Celtic boss put him in firing line
Rodgers issued firm defence of under-fire Ibrox boss Russell Martin following a woeful start to his tenure
Rangers legend Barry Ferguson believes Brendan Rodgers launched an “unnecessary” attack on his former Ibrox interim coaching staff as a deflection tactic.
The ex-Ibrox skipper reckons the Celtic boss used his firm defence of under-pressure Gers boss Russell Martin to distract attention away from his own internal battles at Parkhead.
Rodgers appeared to aim a dig at Ferguson and his assistants Neil McCann and Billy Dodds when the Hoops manager questioned the morality of remarks made about Martin’s start to his tenure by the backroom team he replaced.
Writing in his Daily Record column, the man who took temporary charge of the Light Blues for the final three months of last season after Philippe Clement’s sacking insisted Rodgers was wrong to take a public swipe at them.
Ex-Rangers skipper responds to Rodgers’ firm defence of Russell Martin
But former Rangers skipper Ferguson snapped back: “The one thing I would stress is that it hasn’t diminished in any way my respect for him as an excellent and very successful manager.
“But I do feel I also have to make it clear that what he said was wrong. Neither myself, Neil McCann or Billy Dodds have said anything disrespectful about Russell or what’s been going on at Rangers this season.
“I have listened to every word of it and it’s been constructive at all times. None of it has been even remotely personal. People have said the criticism was aimed at my backroom staff but, for me, it was aimed at all of us. They were my staff, I was in charge, so it was aimed at me as well.
“Our tactics obviously weren’t perfect because we lost a few games and we know we could and should have done better in some of them. But we did get our tactics spot on when we won at Celtic Park and they couldn’t beat us at Ibrox in the second Old Firm derby, so we also had a good idea of what we were trying to do.
“Like I’ve said, it’s an emotional game and sometimes people say things they later regret. I’m not angry but we are guys who have played, coached and understand the game so I found the tone of what was said just very unnecessary.”
Brendan Rodgers broke ‘managerial code’
Ferguson believes the real reason for Rodgers breaking managerial code could lie closer to the Northern Irishman expressing his frustration with his own board of directors.
He continued: “I couldn’t see any reason for it. It just felt a bit odd coming from a man of his experience. It felt very much like a deflection tactic.
“If I had been asked the same sort of question I would simply have shut it down on the basis that it’s not my job to comment or concentrate on what’s happening at another club.
“Celtic have obviously got their own internal issues at the moment and that’s not my concern.”